On Monday, the United Nations Security Council met in New York for an emergency meeting to discuss Russia’s increasing military presence in Ukraine.

Moscow’s President Vladimir Putin announced Monday that Russia will recognize the breakaway territories of Eastern Ukraine and send “peacekeeping troops to these newly independent areas.”

U.S. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas Greenfield stated that Putin’s threat to Ukraine and all other member states of the United Nations was direct.

Putin is testing the international system. “He is trying to test our resolve, and see just how far they can push us all,” said she. He wants to show that he is capable of making a mockery out of the UN by using force. In order to respond to this crisis, we must all act together.

Greenfield stated that the United States will announce new sanctions against Russia Tuesday and asked member countries to inflict severe punishments on Moscow.

She stated that an attack against Ukraine was an attack upon the sovereignty and charter of all UN member states.

Following a day full of rapidly increasing crises Washington tried to get ready for something that seemed inevitable. Europe was prepared for “the greatest invasion since World War II,” as Biden predicted in January.

Stock futures fell sharplyOn Monday Night oil prices roseAs tensions grew, traders continued to keep an eye on the situation.

Monday evening was uncertain as to the impact of U.S. sanctions on Russia.

The President Joe Biden on Monday signed an executive decree prohibiting U.S. people from investing, trading, financing, or transferring new capital to the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic areas of Ukraine.

The move was taken in reaction to Putin’s announcement that Russia would recognise the breakaway areas of Ukraine as independent countries. However, White House officials refused Monday to give any details about the next round.

Biden convened also a meeting for his National Security Council. the second such meeting in as many days. Biden also spoke with Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Ukraine President), and he held a call together with Emmanuel Macron, the French President, and Olaf Scholz, Germany’s Chancellor.

White House officials said the U.S. had discussed plans with the Ukrainian government to relocate Zelenskyy to Lviv, Ukraine from Kyiv if Russian forces launched an assault on the capital city — a scenario that Biden recently said American officials believe is likely.

The State Department moved its diplomatic staff from Lviv to the Pole on Monday night.

In an announcement, Secretary Antony Blinken said that the personnel would return regularly to carry out their diplomatic duties in Ukraine as well as provide emergency consular service.

Blinken reiterated his demand for Americans to leave Ukraine immediately. However, he added that the security situation is still unpredictable and can deteriorate quickly.

You can check back often for more updates on this developing story.

— CNBC’s Amanda Macias contributed reporting.